1948 Michigan Wolverines football team
Encyclopedia
The 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan
during the 1948 college football season
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
during the 1948 college football season
1948 college football season
The 1948 college football season finished with several unbeaten teams. The Michigan Wolverines and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame were both unbeaten and untied, as were the California Golden Bears and the Clemson Tigers...
. The team's head coach was Bennie Oosterbaan
Bennie Oosterbaan
Benjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
. The Wolverines played their home games at Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium
Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
.
Schedule
Starting lineup
- Harry AllisHarry AllisHarry Dean Allis was an American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1950. He was the leading scorer in the Big Ten Conference during the 1948 season and helped lead the 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team to an undefeated 10-0 record...
- placekicker and punter, also started 2 games at left end and 1 game at left halfback - James L. Atchinson - left tackle (1 game)
- Oswald V. Clark - left end (4 games)
- Gene DerricotteGene DerricotteEugene "Gene" Derricotte is a former American football player who played with the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1944 to 1948. He was one of the University's first African American athletes in the era when NCAA Division I college football was beginning to integrate...
- left halfback (1 game) - Dan DworskyDan DworskyDaniel Leonard Dworsky has been a leading Southern California architect since the early 1950s. He is a longstanding member of the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. Among other works, Dworsky designed Crisler Arena, the basketball arena at the University of Michigan named for...
- center (4 games) - Pete ElliottPete Elliott-External links:...
- quarterback (9 games) - Robert Erben - center (5 games)
- John GhindiaJohn GhindiaJohn V. Ghindia, Jr. is a former American football player. He played for the University of Michigan's undefeated football teams in 1947 and 1948 and was the starting quarterback on the 1949 Michigan Wolverines football team that finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country.-Early years:Ghindia...
- fullback (1 game) - Lloyd A. Heneveld - left guard (2 games); right guard (1 game)
- Dick KempthornDick KempthornRichard James "Dick" Kempthorn is a former collegiate athlete, Air Force pilot, and businessman from Canton, Ohio, USA. He played college football on the undefeated National Champion 1947 and 1948 Michigan Wolverines football teams and was the Most Valuable Player on the 1949 team...
- fullback (2 games) - Ralph KohlRalph KohlRalph Anson Kohl was an American football player, coach and scout. He played at the tackle position on the University of Michigan's undefeated 1947 and 1948 football teams. He signed to play with the Baltimore Colts, but a knee injury prevented him from playing in the NFL...
- right tackle (6 games) - Leo KoceskiLeo KoceskiLeo Robert "Bugsy" Koceski, Jr. , also known as the "Canonsburg Comet," is a former American football halfback. He played for Michigan's undefeated national championship team in 1948 and the 1950 Big Ten championship team that defeated the California in the 1951 Rose Bowl.-Early years:Koceski was...
- right halfback (6 games) - Don McClelland - left guard (1 game)
- Edward D. McNeill - right end (7 games)
- Chuck OrtmannChuck OrtmannCharles H. Ortmann is a former American football player who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1948 to 1950 and in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1951 and the Dallas Texans in 1952....
- left halfback (7 games) - Tom Peterson - fullback (6 games)
- Dick RifenburgDick RifenburgRichard Gale "Dick" Rifenburg was a pioneering television broadcaster for the forerunner to WIVB-TV in Buffalo. He was also a professional American football wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions in 1950 and had been an All-American end for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
- left end (3 games) - Quentin SickelsQuentin SickelsQuentin Brian "Quent" Sickels is a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan in 1944 and from 1946 to 1948. He played on Michigan's undefeated 1947 and 1948 national championship teams...
- left guard (1 game); right guard (1 game) - Joe SoboleskiJoe SoboleskiJoseph Robert Soboleski, Jr. is a former American football guard.Soboleski began his football career playing for Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After graduating from high school, Soboleski spent 18 months in the United States Navy, including eight months in the Pacific...
- left tackle (6 games) - Wally TeningaWally TeningaWalter Henry "Wally" Teninga is a former American football halfback and businessman. He played for the University of Michigan's undefeated national championship teams in 1947 and 1948 and later became the vice chairman and chief financial officer of the Kmart Corporation.-Early years:A native of...
- right halfback (3 games) - Dominic TomasiDominic TomasiDominic Tomasi was an American football player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team.-High school:A native of Flint,...
- left guard (6 games) - Robert WahlRobert WahlRobert Allen "Al" Wahl , nicknamed "Brick" Wahl, is a former football player who was a two-time All-American for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1949 and 1950. Wahl is also a former U.S...
- right tackle (3 games) - Stu WilkinsF. Stuart WilkinsF. Stuart "Stu" Wilkins is a former American football player, lawyer, and businessman. He played at the guard position for the University of Michigan football team from 1945 to 1948 and was a starter on the Wolverines undefeated teams in 1947 and 1948. He practiced law for more than 50 years...
- right guard (6 games) - Irv WisniewskiIrv WisniewskiIrvin C. Wisniewski is a former American football and basketball player and coach in the United States. He served as the head football coach at Hillsdale College in 1951, tallying a mark of 2–6...
- right end (2 games) - Alvin WistertAlvin WistertAlvin Lawrence "Moose" Wistert was an American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, he played college football at the tackle position for Boston University in 1946 and at the University of Michigan from 1947 to 1949...
- left tackle (2 games)
Awards and honors
- Captain: Dominic TomasiDominic TomasiDominic Tomasi was an American football player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team.-High school:A native of Flint,...
- All-American1948 College Football All-America TeamThe 1948 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1948...
s: Dick RifenburgDick RifenburgRichard Gale "Dick" Rifenburg was a pioneering television broadcaster for the forerunner to WIVB-TV in Buffalo. He was also a professional American football wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions in 1950 and had been an All-American end for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
, Pete ElliottPete Elliott-External links:...
, Alvin WistertAlvin WistertAlvin Lawrence "Moose" Wistert was an American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, he played college football at the tackle position for Boston University in 1946 and at the University of Michigan from 1947 to 1949... - All-Conference: Dick RifenburgDick RifenburgRichard Gale "Dick" Rifenburg was a pioneering television broadcaster for the forerunner to WIVB-TV in Buffalo. He was also a professional American football wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions in 1950 and had been an All-American end for the University of Michigan Wolverines...
, Alvin WistertAlvin WistertAlvin Lawrence "Moose" Wistert was an American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, he played college football at the tackle position for Boston University in 1946 and at the University of Michigan from 1947 to 1949...
, Dominic TomasiDominic TomasiDominic Tomasi was an American football player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team.-High school:A native of Flint,...
, Pete ElliottPete Elliott-External links:... - Most Valuable Player: Dominic TomasiDominic TomasiDominic Tomasi was an American football player who played guard for the University of Michigan Wolverines. He was a four-year starter and was selected as both the captain and Most Valuable Player of the National Champion 1948 Michigan Wolverines football team.-High school:A native of Flint,...
- Meyer Morton Award: Leo KoceskiLeo KoceskiLeo Robert "Bugsy" Koceski, Jr. , also known as the "Canonsburg Comet," is a former American football halfback. He played for Michigan's undefeated national championship team in 1948 and the 1950 Big Ten championship team that defeated the California in the 1951 Rose Bowl.-Early years:Koceski was...
Coaching staff
- Head coach: Bennie OosterbaanBennie OosterbaanBenjamin Gaylord "Bennie" Oosterbaan was a three-time first team All-American football end for the Michigan Wolverines football team, two-time All-American basketball player for the basketball team and an All-Big Ten Conference baseball player for the baseball team...
- Assistant coaches: Jack BlottJack BlottJack Leonard Blott was an All-American football center and place kicker for the University of Michigan Wolverines from 1922–1923. He was also a baseball catcher for the Wolverines from 1922–1924. After a two-game Major League Baseball career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1924, he worked as...
, George CeithamlGeorge CeithamlGeorge F. Ceithaml is a former American football quarterback and coach. He was the starting quarterback for Fritz Crisler's University of Michigan football teams in 1941 and 1942...
, Cliff KeenCliff KeenClifford Patrick Keen was an American coach who served as the head coach of the University of Michigan collegiate wrestling team from 1925 to 1970. He led the Michigan Wolverines to 13 Big Ten Conference championships, and coached 68 All-American wrestlers...
, Ernie McCoyErnie McCoyErnie McCoy was an American racecar driver.-Indy 500 results:-World Championship career summary:...
, Bill OrwigBill OrwigJames Wilfred "Bill" Orwig was a basketball and American football player at the University of Michigan. He later served as the athletic director at the University of Toledo, University of Nebraska, and Indiana University....
, Don Robinson, Wally WeberWally WeberWalter J. Weber was an American football player and coach at the University of Michigan. He played halfback and fullback for the Wolverines in 1925 and 1926 on the same teams as Benny Friedman and Bennie Oosterbaan. He later became an assistant football coach at Michigan for 28 years from 1931 to...
, J. T. WhiteJ. T. WhiteJohn T. "J.T." White was a college football assistant coach, and a second-team 1947 College Football All-American center who played for national championship teams at both the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. White also played basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes men's... - Trainer: Jim Hunt
- Manager: Bill Hickey
External links
- 1948 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
- Bennie’s First Wolverines from College Football Historical Society Newsletter, 2003